EARLY TIMES REPORT
SRINAGAR, Feb 26: The Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Friday restrained District Development Council Member, who emerged winner during a recount in South Kashmir’s Anantnag this month, from holding the office.
The DDC member, Sajada Begum, who faced Court’s action, had emerged winner from 8-Larnoo DDC constituency after the District Election Officer Anantnag, Anshul Garg ordered recounting of votes on the recommendation of Additional Divisional Commissioner Kashmir.
Her rival-PAGD candidate Khalida Bibi-had won the election with a margin of seven votes earlier; however independent candidate Sajada Begum appealed against the result and alleged discrepancy in the number of votes polled and number of votes counted.
Acting on the complaint of independent candidate Sajada Begum, the authorities ordered a recount and she was declared winner. Later, PAGD candidate Khalida Bibi moved to Jammu and Kashmir High Court and filed writ petition challenging the recount and results.
On Friday, the High Court admitted the writ petition and observed that ‘important questions of law have arisen in the writ petition for consideration’.
“In the meantime, the petitioner and respondent No. 1 are restrained from holding the office of member of District Development Council, Anantnag,” reads the court order, a copy of which lies with Early Times.
In its order the Court said that the authorities have without revoking the certificate of election issued in favor of the petitioner, declared the respondent no.1 as a successful candidate thereby creating a situation where both petitioner and the respondent are holding valid certificates of election. The case has been listed again on March 26, 2021. |
